Instinct
by Delphi913
Summary: "We're the same, after all." Minato would never know how true that statement was until it was too late. UPDATE: I will not continue this without reviews. I asked my audience politely to leave their thoughts as to whether or not I should continue and I received no response. If enough time passes with no response, it will go up for adoption.
1. Meeting with a Murderer

**Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to Atlus &amp; Killer7 belongs to Capcom**

"Speech" / _'Thoughts'_

**Tartarus (Iwatodai; Dark Hour)**

Minato Arisato slowly tread up the stairs, taking each step with the appropriate amount of caution so as not to be surprised by any shadows on the way up. Behind him were his two companions, Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori. It was still pretty surreal to him, this whole experience. It had been a few weeks since he had arrived in town via a train and even less time since he had unleashed his inner power; the power to physically manifest a facet of your personality based on how you act around others: a Persona. It seemed like it was only hours ago that he had first met his new-found school friends and now he was fighting with them against ethereal creatures in this nightmarish world. More interesting than your average high school life, but not exactly preferable either.

Well, regardless of his personal thoughts about his current situation, they had a mission to complete and they were going to get as far as possible on this night. He and his friends crept up to the seventh floor of the mysterious tower and, as they had before, the stairs disappeared leaving only the tiled floor in this parody of a school hall. Looking intently ahead of them, he could see no shadows, so it would be safe for them to proceed. Then, he noticed something.

…

Mitsuru was being a little late with her usual call… He took out his communicator and held down a switch on the side.

"Senpai? Are you there?" he spoke into the small device.

…

No response. All that he could hear was static. He turned towards his friends and shook his head.

"I'm not getting anything from her."

Yukari placed a hand under her chin and lowered her eyes in thought. "Hm… I don't like this," she said worriedly, "We won't be able to tell what's ahead without her support. Maybe we should turn back…"

Junpei, ever the joker, clapped her on the shoulder. "What's wrong? Afraid of a little peace and quiet?"

"Shut it, Stupei! This is serious!" she exclaimed angrily in response, slapping his hand away.

Minato chuckled slightly before intervening to prevent a bigger argument. "Alright guys, settle down," he said, making a downward motion with his hands, "Whatever the case may be, we have to move forward."

Yukari let out a huff. "Well I'm willing to move on if a certain someone could keep his attitude in check."

Junpei just shrugged. "I guess some people just don't have a sense of humor."

To prevent further bickering from grating on him, he walked forward, forcing the others to follow. After a short walk through a small hallway, they happened upon a large room. Now, normally, a large room in Tartarus would be nondescript and empty, holding nothing of interest and prompting the team to move on. This one, however, contained the strangest thing Minato had probably seen so far.

The walls of the room were pitch-black, with the only discernable features being the entrance and exit. Against one wall of the room lay a strange looking television; it looked old and musky what with its round screen and dials. The strangest part of the room, however, was the table sitting against another wall. In the single chair, sat a dark-skinned man in a bright white suit calmly eating a steak. At his feet was a suit case as long as the man was tall.

Moments passed by as the children continued to stare at the man and the man continued to eat his meal without regard for their presence. Minato decided that it best to try and catch the man's attention. Anyone who wasn't a coffin in the Dark Hour was an ally, right?

"Um…"

*click*

His decision was immediately regretted as a silenced pistol was pointed directly at his face faster than he could blink an eye. The man held an expression as cold as a glacier for a few moments before he softened up and lowered his gun.

"Sorry, I thought you might be someone else. I don't harm children," he said calmly before returning to his meal.

Minato, first to shake way his shock, quickly thought, _'I don't think I want to provoke this guy. It would probably be best to change the subject…'_

"Your accent!" Yukari blurted out suddenly causing him to cringe.

The man raised an eye to look at her. "What about it?"

She seemed startled and looked at Minato for reassurance. He nodded and gave her a smile. "Um… It's… ah… off. Are you… an American?"

The man raised an eyebrow before closing his eyes and smirking. "You've got good ears, kid. Yes, I'm an American."

"Who are you, though?" she questioned with a little more confidence this time.

The man let out a small laugh. "Who am I? That's a good question." He took a sip from his tea cup. "The name's Garcian Smith. I'm a member of Killer7."

"That's not the… friendliest name for an organization," Junpei shakily piped in.

Garcian turned an eye towards him. "I don't see why it should be. We are assassins after all."

"Assassins?!"

"Yes, that's right. We used to be hired by the US Government, but we're a tool, a commodity. We go wherever the fight takes us and right now, it's here."

Despite the man's earlier words about not hurting children, Minato couldn't help, but sweat a little. _'This guy kills people for a living. Can we really trust him?'_

At the moment, Garcian appeared to be looking them over, scanning them with his eyes.

"You're a little lightly equipped, aren't you?" he casually asked.

"What?" Minato said in reply.

"You've got those swords and bows, which are good for close range, but what if you have to fight at a distance? That would be a job for a gun wouldn't it? And the ones you carry are obvious fakes."

Minato was taken aback a little. _'He could tell from that far away?!'_

"They said… they said that we wouldn't need guns… that we wouldn't have a use for them here." Yukari spoke thoughtfully.

"You're probably going to need stronger weapons than the ones you've got…" Garcian rubbed his chin in thought. "Tell you what: I come across a lot of weapons in my line of work. I'd be willing to sell them to you for the right price." He took another sip of tea.

"And what is the right price?" Minato asked cautiously.

"Blood," he replied causing the three of them to take a step back.

"Blood! You mean you want us to kill for you?!" Junpei yelped in fear.

"Not human blood, you idiot."

"Huh?"

Garcian closed his eyes. "In the Labyrinth, there is a creature invisible to the naked eye. When the halls are empty and all is quiet, you'll hear a sputter in the distance, then a chuckle closer by, then a laugh right next to you. If they get a hold of you, you're as good as dead. To fight them, you'll need this."

He slid an item across the table which Minato walked over and picked up.

_**Garcian**__ produced an item. __**Vision Ring**__ obtained!_

"I got that off a rival group we battled on Broadway in New York. When you hear the laugh of the Smiling Faces, the ring will let out a howl and the unseen shall become seen."

"What are you saying? I don't understand."

"You will when the time is right. We are… the same, after all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be off. I have a meeting to catch with my informant."

Garcian picked up his suitcase and began to walk off.

"Wait! How will I even find you again?!" Minato yelled after him.

Garcian stopped and turned to look back at him. "This is Harman's Room. If Samantha or I aren't in the room, then use the TV." With that said, he walked into the darkness and disappeared.

Minato and the others chased after him, but only found a room with stairs down the hallway.

Junpei scratched his head. "Ah guys… What exactly just happened?"

"I'm… not sure," Minato replied, rubbing his forehead.

"It's probably best if we just… move on," Yukari said, coming up behind them.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said, walking up the stairs.

Suddenly, he heard a crackle at his hip. Hearing a sound coming out of his communicator, he held it up to his ear.

"Arisato… can you hear me?" He heard Mitsuru say through the device.

He held down the button to reply. "Yeah, I can hear you, Senpai."

"Where were you? I've been trying to contact you for the past half hour!"

"It's… a long story."

"Well… You can tell it when you get back. Be swift. The Dark Hour is about to end."

"Got it."

**A/N: Well, here I am writing another crossover. Don't know if I'll continue this one or not, but if I do, then it will diverge massively from Persona 3's canon in terms of what happens to the characters and Garcian and the others would have a larger role than just the "Gun Salesmen." Please PM if you have any questions or ideas and tell me what you think in a review. Ciao.**


	2. A New Player to the Stage

**A/N: Been a while hasn't it? Sorry about that. The sheer complexity of Killer 7's plot is throwing me off in my attempts to integrate it with the canon of Persona 3 (which I still haven't finished, by the way). Combine that with my general lack of inspiration and motivation over the past few months and you have the perfect recipe for writer's block. It's here now, though, so enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to Atlus &amp; Killer 7 belongs to Capcom**

"Speech" / _'Thoughts'_

**Iwatodai, Gekkoukan High (S.E.E.S. Dorm)**

"Hmm… And that's all to their story?" Shuji pondered, stroking his stubble in thought. He was seated in the meeting room with the two elder members of the group. Apparently, the field team had some… interesting things to report about Tartarus.

"Yes, that's all," replied Mitsuru, eyes closed in contemplation, "If there's anything else, then they're hiding it well."

"Could they be lying? Trying to get our attention?" Akihiko asked.

She shook her head. "No, they looked absolutely serious about what they told me. Whether what they said is true or not, they believe it. Trust me, I'm a good judge."

He looked her directly in the eye. "You know we can't just take their world on this, right? We've been to Tartarus many a time and we've never seen anything like what they described."

Mitsuru was about to respond when Shuji suddenly interjected. "I believe them."

They both turned to him. "Now, now. At least allow me to explain myself. Have you ever heard of the Union 7?" He directed the question at Mitsuru.

She brought a hand up to her chin. "Yes, of course. They were a subsidiary of the UN Party and drafted the Yakumo in 1953 before they were murdered, ironically at the Union Hotel in Pennsylvania, and their leader disappeared, presumed dead by the American police. How does relate to Arisato's story?

Shuji gave his best smile before answering. "Because their leader's name was Harman Smith whose name was mentioned in his report if I'm not mistaken. I would normally overlook a detail like this, but the interesting thing is that during our early research, Mr. Smith was one of the earliest subjects to hold the power of Persona. We would have gotten a hold of him, but the American government was unwilling to give him up. You have to admit that I have my reasons to be suspicious."

"There's still a hole in that argument Ikutsuki-san," Akihiko said, redirecting the conversation, "If this political party-thing disappeared so long ago, why would it return now and why as assassins?"

Shuji pursed his lips. "I'm not sure, but I've heard whisperings of this 'Killer 7' from my American contacts. They're supposed to be some of the most skilled in the business, hired almost exclusively by the government, but I haven't received any new information since rumors about their involvement in the incident at Battleship Isle."

"That makes sense," Mitsuru pointed out, "After the Yakumo's instatement, it wouldn't make sense if the group remained under the employ of the United States, especially with the recent decline in terrorism across the globe."

"I suppose, but that makes their sudden return even more unsettling. If they've come back, then that means that there's an enemy deadly enough that requires their skill and if this recent meeting indicates anything, then it's probably inside of the tower."

"If that's true, then we need to prepare for this upcoming threat. Perhaps their proposition is a blessing in disguise."

"Yes…"

"…"

After a few silent moments, it became clear that there was no more to discuss. With that sentiment, Akihiko stood up and threw his jacket over his shoulder.

"Well, I'm going to bed," he said on his way out, waving over his shoulder, "make sure you get some rest, Mitsuru."

As the door closed, Shuji looked back at Mitsuru. "He's right, you know. Don't worry about filing those reports tonight. I'll take care of it."

Worn down, she closed her eyes and smiled. "Alright, I'll listen to you at least Ikutsuki-san. Good night."

"Good night, my dear. We'll discuss more at the next opportunity I have to drop by," he said, opening the door for her.

As soon as it clicked shut his expression instantly changed to one of deep thought.

"Harman Smith… If he can kill Shadows, then this could cause some complications… I need more time to assess the situation."

He returned to the couch and began working on the reports all while contemplating this new development.

**S.E.E.S. Dorm (2****nd**** Floor)**

_You're no longer in Great Condition._

Light streamed through his partially closed blinds as Minato attempted to shake himself from his half-asleep state. His dreams last night, though he couldn't remember them, must have been rough because he felt pretty bad this morning. His head was pounding and he felt a bit nauseous, but alas it was not enough to keep him from leaving. Besides, he felt compelled to go this morning, for some undefinable reason. He looked at his clock to find that he was awake about half an hour earlier than normal. Resigned to the fact that he was already awake, he just shrugged.

Getting up, he showered and threw on his uniform before making his way downstairs to find Mitsuru seat in the dining room filling out forms of some kind.

"Morning Senpai," he forced out groggily. _'Smooth. Still not too good at talking to people, huh?'_

"Good morning, Arisato-kun," she replied without even looking up.

While he was fixing himself something to eat, he decided to sate his curiosity.

"What are you working on?"

"We have a new transfer student coming in today that they neglected to tell us about until the day before yesterday. As head of the student council, I took it upon myself to help finish some of the paperwork involved."

"Oh, really? Does this new student also have, 'the potential'?"

She gave him a disapproving look. "If you're referring to our methods we used to bring you in, then I'll continue to tell you that it was completely necessary. To answer your question, however, no. As far as we know, she's completely ordinary."

Finishing the preparations to his meal, he seated himself. "Don't tell Junpei," he said simply before digging in.

She had to smirk at that one. _'They're already such good friends. I'm happy for them.'_

"Don't worry. I won't."

On that note, they continued their activities, silently enjoying each other's company until everyone else came down a few minutes later and the day truly began.

**Gekkoukan High (Campus Entrance)**

Walking through the gate that morning, he was approached by Yukari. Despite the oddity of meeting someone in the exact same place every day without any prior intention of doing so tugging at the back of his mind, he decided to converse with her like always.

"Morning!" she exclaimed over the noise.

"Morning," he replied rather nonchalantly.

"Mitsuru seemed to have something on her mind today before she left. You were with her; have any idea what it might be?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

His internal debate was fairly short. "We're admitting a transfer student into the class today. No one else really knows because of some mishap with paper work or something like that."

"Really! I wonder who it'll be…"

Their discussion was interrupted by the bell sounding off.

"Anyhow, we'd better get to class before we end up late again."

**Gekkoukan High (Toriumi's Homeroom)**

"I know it's a bit sudden for everyone, but we have a new transfer student entering today," Ms. Toriumi said as casually as she could. As she was expecting, it didn't help much at all, as the class immediately broke out into whispers and small conversations about this occurrence, most of which were related to the student's gender.

"Now, now. Everyone please settle down," she said, attempting to placate them. Satisfied with the amount of noise in the room, she said, "Ms. Wilcox, you may enter now."

In walked a tall, white-haired girl in the typical uniform and glasses. She stood at the front of the class, exuding an air of… apathy. _'That's funny,' _Minato thought, _'Usually, new students shrink back from all of the attention given to them; she's just brushing it off as if it were nothing. Impressive…'_

"Why don't you introduce yourself to the class," Ms. Toriumi said, breaking the short silence.

"Sure. My name's #### Wilcox. Nice to meet you all," the girl said in a cold, but not unfriendly, voice. Minato, along with the rest of the class, frowned in thought. She'd said her first name in an entirely different alphabet so he couldn't quite catch it in time.

"Um… Could you repeat that, please, Ms. Wilcox?" Toriumi said, apparently disturbed by the sudden change as well.

The girl let out a short sigh before repeating, slower this time, "The name's LOVE Wilcox."

**A/N: It's shorter than I wanted it to be, but I hope it's still serviceable. Lots of dialogue, I know, but that's much of what Persona is when not fighting monsters.**

**For those who haven't already guessed or were too confused to even try, I'm going with the 'Matsuken Lives' Ending of Killer 7 where Japan's UN Party completes its world domination and all nations are brought under Japanese rule. The reason I didn't choose the other ending is because this story wouldn't exist as Japan would be destroyed.**

**I also felt the need to add more of a Killer 7 element to the daytime parts of Persona 3, outside of Tartarus, so I added LOVE to the cast as she seemed to fit the profile the most, plus I can find an explanation for her to be there were I wouldn't be able to with other characters. Just so you know, she'll be over the Arcana of another Social Link. If you know anything about Killer 7's world or LOVE herself, then you'll probably be able to guess which one it is, but, just for fun, I'll leave it ambiguous till it actually happens.**

**Anyway, I'm looking forward to writing more of this. Cheers everyone, and have a Merry Christmas.**


	3. It's All in the Cards

**A/N: Since I've been focusing so much on my other story, this one hasn't really received my attention as of late. While I'm resting my head, though, why don't I give you another chapter or two?**

**Disclaimer: Persona 3 belongs to Atlus &amp; Killer7 belongs to Grasshopper Manufacture &amp; Capcom**

"Speech" / _'Thoughts'_

**Forbidden Room (Actual Location Unknown)**

The large room was furnished in the typical high-class, western style: rounded, hard-wood furniture; tan, patterned wallpaper; potted plants sitting quaintly on either end; curtains sheening in the sunlight pouring through the windows; and, to top it all off, painted picture frames covering a considerable amount of space on the walls, though strangely they were all blank. In the center of the room stood a table where two men were sitting.

The first man, who sat on the right side of the table, was of fair complexion. He was donned in a white shirt and square-bottom tie covered by a green trench coat and pants. His hair was cleanly slicked back while his hands were neatly folded. A small smile graced his lips which was in contrast to the smug look in his bright, red eyes.

The other man, who was seated in the center of the table, was similarly dressed in formal wear. His black shirt and shoes complemented his simple white blazer and pants and, unlike his companion at the table, his collars were not popped. His long, dark hair was also slicked back and pulled into a stylish and effective ponytail. His face, however, was his most defining feature as three quarters of it were covered in an elaborate mask, mostly white but the left side of which was molded into the motif of a butterfly.

Both turned their heads to face the door in response to the entrance of a third man. Said man was old and obviously crippled as indicated by the wheelchair he was currently using for transportation. Unlike the others, he was dressed in a simple black shirt and pants with his most distinct feature being the large brimmed hat he wore over his head of white hair. Also in contrast to the other two, his skin was unnaturally pale.

"Ah, Harman. So good of you to finally join us," smoothly uttered the man in the green coat.

The elder man merely smiled at him. "Yes, it's been a while hasn't it Kun? I hope you'll understand if I've been busy. There just hasn't been much time for fun, recently."

"But Harman," Kun joyfully quipped, "There's always time for fun, isn't there?"

"Heh. I always do enjoy these games of ours. Shall we begin?"

"Now, now," the masked man spoke in a calm and confident voice, "A game of chess is a battle of wits between only two. You weren't thinking of excluding me?"

Having been interrupted, the two turned to face him. "Ah," Harman said, "I'd almost forgotten you, Papillion. It's always a pleasure to see an old friend return."

"Speak for yourself," Kun retorted, "He and I have been acquainted for quite some time."

"It is of no importance. Please, tell us what you have in mind."

"Well," he said, pushing the chess board aside, "I suggest we partake in a clash held between those of great camaraderie."

From beneath the table he produced a miniscule rectangular box. Opening the box, he removed an immaculate deck of playing cards. Without further ado, he began to shuffle them.

"Forgive me if I deign to act as a dealer," Philemon added, "I do hate participating in such competitions, you understand?"

"Of course," Harman replied, "Now, properly this time, shall we begin?"

With a nod of affirmation, Papillion passed them their first, and most important, cards. Harman calmly turned his over from its down-facing position to discover a sign of extreme luck. There, within his grasp, lay one of the four most powerful cards in the deck right off the bat:

The Spade Joker

**Gekkoukan High (After Class)**

Today had been… rather odd, or at least as odd as a day could get for someone like him. Minato had, in his curiosity, taken to watching their mysterious new student throughout the day and had found her actions slightly unnerving. He'd heard of the proverbial ice queen, but man did she seem like the real deal!

Throughout the whole day, LOVE had answered all questions addressed to her quickly and concisely, not even allowing room for the conversation to continue. Adding to that, she seemed to not be interested in conversing with anyone else either. The real topper, however, was the death glare she threw around at anyone who happened to make her angry. First had come those foolish enough to ask her out on the very day of her arrival, then a few random folk who happened to insult the drawings of their classmates. Suffice to say, they'd be staying out of her way for the rest of the year if they could help it.

So, with her dazzling interpersonal skills, imagine his surprise when she approached him directly after class. With this new information, he knew that one of two things awaited him: sheer terror or an insight into the psyche of someone who closed herself off from all others. Or she could just walk right past him and ignore him completely; whichever.

"You're… Arisato-kun, right?" _'Come on Minato! Don't screw it up this time!'_

"Eh? Y-yes?" _'Goddamnit! Why is it so difficult?!'_

She raised an eyebrow at him momentarily before shrugging it off and continuing. "You know Mitsuru-sempai, don't you? I mean, you guys live in the same dorm and all."

"Y-yeah, I guess so…" Minato said, suddenly frowning in realization, "But wait. Why do you know that? Isn't this just your first day?"

She just waved him off. "I asked around. Anyway, can you get her to meet with me?"

"Why do you want to talk to her so badly?" he questioned, "Most people I know aren't so eager."

She looked away briefly before returning to his gaze and sighing. "I noticed that there's no Print Club listed with the extracurriculars. I want to talk to her about starting one."

"Print Club?"

"You really are a _Tabula Rasa_, aren't you?" she spoke, sighing yet again, "A Print Club is a club for creating amateur printed works. You know, like comic books and other stuff like that. I've already got a petition going around for a lot of people who'd like to participate."

Deflecting his confusion over her previous statement, she held up a piece of paper, in front of his face, which conveyed the signatures of over a dozen people in their shared desire to create said club. Something was still bugging him, though; something really odd…

"How in the world do you have so many signatures on your first day?" Minato asked incredulously.

She rolled her eyes. "I got them while you weren't looking. Now, can you talk to her for me?"

He just sighed. Honestly he was getting a little tired of talking to the strange girl himself. "Yeah, sure. I'll talk to her if she's there tonight. I'm sure she could get the student council to make that kind of club, but club activities haven't started yet. You'll have to wait a while."

"I'm aware of that. Well, see you around," she responded before she turned and began to walk away.

He sat there for a few seconds, blinking before he shot up. "Wait. That's it?"

She stopped and turned her head to face him for a moment. "If you want to talk to me again, you can do it after you get me a meeting with the Student Council President. Unless, you want a bad reputation, that is."

Leaving him without words, she continued out the door. _'Was that a threat?'_

"Still a hit with the ladies, eh Minato?" Junpei spoke up, stepping over to his desk from the boy's usual spot at the window.

"Not so much this time. I pretty much just got trampled," he responded. The two had hung out enough that he was used to his banter. Plus he wasn't the most emotional person anyway, so things like embarrassment and indignation didn't bother him as much.

"Yeah, I know how that feels," Junpei said, suddenly very glum, "Well, buddy, at least you did your best." He gave his friend a reassuring pat on the back.

Minato shook his head, clearing it of thoughts. "Anyway. Let's head to the Police Station. I want to switch out our stuff before we head into Tartarus tonight."

**Paulownia Mall (Police Station)**

As soon as they opened the door, they were met with the sight of a large, dark-haired man in a suit who'd apparently reaching for the knob only a moment before. He recovered a lot quicker than they did.

"Out of my way, runts," he grunted out, pushing them aside. For the few seconds that he was passing by, Minato was able to peer into the man's jacket to see a… very large gun holstered underneath it.

Mystified by the man with the gargantuan firearm, he continued to watch him until he rounded a corner and disappeared from his view. Entering the Police Station, he immediately approached the officer behind the desk.

"Kurosawa-san, who was that guy who was just in here? I've never seen someone like him before." Well, technically that was a lie. He'd only felt one other person who emitted such an atmosphere.

"That man was an American detective," Kurosawa answered , "He wanted to know more about the Apathy Syndrome cases and what was being done about them. I told him all that I knew, excluding you guys, of course.

'_An American? Garcian was American too. So was LOVE… No, that couldn't be it. Definitely not… Unless…'_

"What was his name? Could you tell me Kurosawa-san?"

The man shrugged indifferently. "I don't see why not. Smith; His name was Dan Smith."

Upon hearing this, he and Junpei looked directly at each other, confusion and suspicion clear in their eyes.

"You don't think…" he said, turning his head slightly.

"Can you take care of the rest of this?" Minato all but demanded, swiftly departing from the station.

After learning the man's name, he'd abruptly remembered that the man had turned the corner which lead directly to the Velvet Room. Except that only he could see the door. So, unless this man was also an honored guest, he would be walking to nothing.

As he reached the end of the hall, he was immediately hit with a strange sight. The door to the Velvet room was directly in the center of the hall as always, but now there stood a door on the left and right of the hall as well. On the left was a perfectly ordinary looking door, but on the right was a door that resembled a safe door that you might find in a bank or a billionaire's mansion.

He attempted to open the door on the right fist, but found that he could not as it was tightly locked. So, with his first attempt failed, he tried the door on the other side. With a triumphant click, he knew he was successful and swung the door inward to find a familiar sight.

"It's the same room… as the one in Tartarus…" he murmured, looking around.

Indeed it was almost exactly the same as what Garcian had described as Harman's Room. All of the walls were black, giving the appearance of an endless void, the area only being illuminated by some mysterious light from above. Another similarity was the strange television set that was quaintly sitting on the opposite side of the room. The only differences, he found, were the lack of the table Garcian was sitting at, including the man himself, and the fact that there was a red-headed woman in a maid's outfit standing in its place.

"Umm…" he said, walking over to her, "Who are you? Are you Samantha?"

In response to his question, the woman turned towards him, her eyes expressing even less emotion than he was capable of, and bowed her head slightly.

"I am," she spoke monotonously, taking out a book from her apron which she opened and offered to him, "Please place your signature in our guest book."

"Huh? That won't bind me to you or anything, will it?"

She shook her head. "No, your signature will allow you to record your progress and purchase weaponry from here. The Master desires your cooperation," she told him, bowing her head slightly, "Please, allow us to support you."

He thought about it momentarily. On one hand, these people were assassins who kill people for a living. Plus they're Americans that previously worked for the government, the very reason that the homeland was destroyed and forced the UN Party into action. By all accounts, he should hate them…

On the other hand, however, they were offering him their help with no detectable hints of malice. He couldn't blame them for the fall of Japan. It's not like they had a direct hand in it, right? He didn't have too many memories of his home country anyway.

'_Well, it's not like I'll get anywhere by standing around.' _Shaking his head, he took out a pen and signed his name in the book.

Shutting it, she placed the book back in her apron. "The Host is communing with The Master right now. I suggest you return at a later date to receive your weapon."

Minato tilted his head slightly. "The Host? The Master? Who exactly are you talking about?"

"The members of the Killer7 each have a number of aliases that they prefer to be designated as. Mr. Garcian Smith currently wishes to be referred to as 'The Host' and Master Harman Smith is always referred to as 'The Master'."

It took him less than a second to formulate his next question. "What about Dan Smith?"

Showing no reaction, she answered, "Mr. Dan Smith is most commonly known as 'The Hellion' among other names."

'_Well that confirms that he's one of them. Why would he be asking Kurosawa about Apathy Syndrome, then? Ah, whatever. I've already agreed to their help and I need to get back, anyway.'_

He bowed to her. "Thank you, Samantha-san. I'll be getting back now."

She returned his bow. "We look forward to your next visit, Mr. Arisato."

**Tartarus (Dark Hour)**

As he stepped onto the next floor, a very familiar feeling set over him. No sooner than his companions were beside him, and the stairs had disappeared, did strange things begin to happen. The first sign that something was wrong was the exact same as last time.

…

…

"I'm only getting static," he said, putting away his communicator.

"Oh no," Junpei replied meekly, "It's happening again isn't it? What do you think'll happen this time?"

"Maybe that room will show up again," Yukari suggested.

"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Minato said, pointing forward, "Look."

Once they followed his gaze, they immediately knew what he meant. Down the hallway, some sort of miasma was spreading across the walls, floors, and ceiling. Being trapped at the end of the hall, there was naturally no way to escape, but they couldn't help but look for one. It was only human nature, after all. They looked and looked until they realized the futility of the situation and could do no more than throw up their arms and shut tight their eyes as it engulfed them.

…

…

…

"We're not dead?" he heard Junpei say.

It was true, they were still alive. _'But what just happened?'_

Cracking his eyes open and lowering the arm he'd thrown up to protect himself, he was able to look upon a transformed Tartarus. No longer was the hallway structured like a twisted version of a school hall. Instead, it far more resembled the kind of architecture you'd see in a community center, but the coloring was strange. Everything was cast in a deep blue with jagged shadows from the minimal lighting. It almost looked as if he weren't standing in a hallway at all, but rather standing atop a narrow platform in an infinite void.

"What is it this time?" Junpei uttered, nervously.

"Be on your guard. We're never going to find a way out if we don't move forward," he ordered as he began to step through the halls, watching as the shadows seemed to move around, keeping the surrealism of the imagery intact. The others followed him, though more out of a will to find a way out than of any loyalty they held toward him.

*step*

*step*

*step*

*snicker*

He stopped immediately, almost causing the others to crash into him. "Was that one of you?"

"Was what one of us?" Yukari asked, still eyeing the surrounding area for predators.

"That snickering a moment ago."

Junpei shook his head. "Man, I don't even know what you're talking about. All I know is that we haven't seen a single Shadow on this floor and it's starting to really creep me out!"

Their azure-haired leader placed a hand under his chin in thought. _'True. We haven't seen any Shadows on this floor, but that doesn't make any sense. This is their nest isn't it?'_

Finally he just shrugged. "Well, anyway, we should keep moving. Wouldn't want to keep our sempai waiting for too long."

He could say that, but in reality, he was just as frightened as the rest of them. Being able to hide his emotions was just one of many qualities that allowed him to continue being the leader of the group in battle. Though… he wasn't unwavering at the moment. Maybe he should take lessons from Samantha?

*step*

*step*

*step*

"hi hi heh heh…"

"Stop."

Everyone halted at his command. They were standing directly on the center of an intersection between four of the hallways.

"Did you guys hear that?" he questioned.

"Hear what?"

"Just listen."

…

…

…

"Heh heh heh, ha ha ha…"

Minato could tell just by looking at their terrified faces that they'd heard that one. He would have said something else, orders or a jip perhaps, if his ears weren't filled with a fierce howl. He made to cover his ears, but that just made things louder. It did give him an important piece of information: the sound was definitely more ear-shattering on the left side. As soon as he looked down he instantly knew what it was.

There, seated on the ring finger of his left hand was the Vision Ring that Garcian had given him. _'That's right. He did say the ring would howl when I heard the laughter of… Smiling Faces…'_

He looked back up and saw what was probably the creepiest thing he'd ever encountered, including the Shadow that appeared on the full moon and that weird metal coffin monster that came out of Orpheus. It resembled a human body if, perhaps, you tore all of the skin off and never let it heal, giving it a bloody and mangled appearance. The worst part, however, was the face. Its eyes were inverted, giving the appearance of white pupils on dark irises, and its maw was wide open, revealing a set of horribly sharp teeth set in a humongous… smile.

Without a second thought, he took out his Evoker and shot himself in the face.

**AGI!**

In a millisecond, his Persona appeared behind him and strummed his harp once, causing the creature to burst into flames.

"Minato, what's wrong?" Yukari demanded, a look of horrible confusion crossing her face.

He turned and looked at her as if she'd just grown an extra head. "You didn't see that just now?"

"See what?"

"That," he said, pointing to the corpse lying in the center of the blaze.

"Minato, uh, there's nothing there," Junpei told him, scratching the back of his head.

He was perplexed for a moment before a thought crossed his mind. _'Oh, yeah. I'm the only one wearing the ring. So that probably means I'm the only one who can see them right now.'_

"Hi hi hi ha ha ha HA HA HA HA!"

Slowly turning his head back to the fire, he was able to see the creature he'd just set alight rising to his feet once more and looking completely unharmed as well. Now was probably a good time to run, but unfortunately every direction he turned to was occupied by another colossal jaw open in laughter at him.

"What's happening?!" the only girl of the group screamed out, sensing the danger even if she couldn't see it.

"There are enemies approaching us from all directions," he told them straight out, "You can't see them without the ring. Prepare yourselves."

He gathered them in the center of the room as the creatures continued to amble towards them. His grip tightened on his short sword as they got closer and closer, seeming to take their time in trying to kill them.

Inch by inch, step by step, closer and closer, closer and closer, Oh God, Oh God. Were they going to become like those things? Skin flayed off and eyes turned inside out as their jaws were torn past their limit and their teeth sharpened to the point of…

"DUCK!"

Even if it was just a reflex, they all complied simultaneously.

**COLLATERAL SHOT!**

Within seconds, a massive ball of light soared over their heads and exploded in a bright flash, seemingly disintegrating the creatures in front and behind them. Two more shots rang out in the darkness, and judging from the screams, the other two were downed as well.

"What the fuck is Garcie thinking, sending you brats in here without a proper weapon? Is he trying to kill all of ya?"

'_That voice…'_

Getting back on his feet, Minato peered behind him to find a face that he'd only seen once before.

"Dan Smith?"

The older man gazed down at him and snorted. "Heard of me, have ya? Figures."

"What the hell were those demons?"

"Demons?" He took a moment to openly laugh in his face before continuing. "You've got it all backwards, kid. Those were no demons; in fact, it's the exact opposite. Those were angels."

If he wasn't confused before, then he DEFINITELY was now. "What?!"

The man before him broke out into a grin that radiated nothing more than pure enjoyment and delight at his chosen profession. "The real demon is right in front of ya, kid."

Honestly, in that moment, Minato could believe him.

**A/N: Well, here we are. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm still not entirely sure that I want to come back, because, after discovering Persona 4, I really don't want to go back to FES. It's just so much more annoying as a game. I don't know, maybe I'll watch the animation or maybe I'll just trash this fic and start over with 4. It'd certainly work considering how much TV imagery is in both Killer7 and Persona 4.**

**Anyway, the chess room has returned with the new addition (Yes, he's Philemon. I'm telling you that right now and the only reason I changed it is because it wouldn't feel right. Papillion means "butterfly" anyway, so it shouldn't be that strange.), the beginnings of LOVE's Social Link are forming here, and Dan has arrived so there's that. Thankfully, I think I have a somewhat better understanding of Killer7's world after browsing the Wiki. There's a lot of complex shit in there, doubly so when you factor in that a large number of Suda51's games take place in the same universe, but we won't be delving into that except for maybe a couple cameos.**

**Before I continue or call it off, though, I'd like to hear your thoughts so please leave an honest review and help me figure things out.**


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